After leading the Rochester Community and Technical College Yellowjacket Football squad to a runner-up finish in the 2023 season, Head Coach Terrence Isaac has been named the 2023 NJCAA Division III Football Coach of the Year.
In only his second season at the helm of the Yellowjackets, Isaac has led the program back into the national spotlight. After a 5-5 finish in 2022, Rochester ended the 2023 season with an 8-3 record and runner-up finish after falling to DuPage in the national championship. The team this year had three wins over ranked opponents (North Dakota x2, and Minnesota North-Mesabi Range).
This year’s team held one of the best offenses in the nation, scoring 31.8 points per game. The Yellowjackets led the country in passing yards, passing yards per game, and passing touchdowns. The defense finished with the third most sacks (43) and 93.5 tackles for loss.
Rochester earned a share of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference (MCAC) regular season championship and the No. 1 seed in the MCAC playoff. They defeated Central Lakes (MN) 21-0 to advance to the MCAC Championship game against No. 3 North Dakota SCS, with potentially a shot at the National Championship game on the line. The Yellowjackets jumped out to a 17-7 halftime lead, and then the lead to win 24-16.
The National Championship game between Rochester and DuPage was one for the ages, with the Yellowjackets gaining the lead with 5 minutes to play. The Chaps scored with just over 1 minute remaining to win the title 33-29.
The team saw four student-athletes named 2023 NJCAA DIII Football First-Team All-America Selections, and one second-team selection. Coach Isaac was previously named MCAC Coach of the Year, along with six players being named All-Region 13 Football Team. Linebacker Martell Williams was named MCAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Text and image courtesy of NJCAA.org